#WoodenBoats - With classic wooden boats in the spotlight this weekend, one hotspot that shouldn't be left out of the story is Galway – where the biggest Galway Hooker ever built is sparking a renewed enthusiasm for legacy vessels.

According to The Irish Times, the restoration of the 14-metre Naomh Bairbre is "the focus of feverish activity down in Galway docks" where the Bádóirí an Chladaigh, or Claddagh Boatbuilders, are busy working on a series of classic craft in time for the city's bid for European Capital of Culture status.

The Naomh Bairbre herself is all the more impressive being the work of one man, Steve Mulkerrins, who crafted her between 2003 and 2006 while an expat in Chicago as his first ever boatbuilding project.

That boat – which completed a transatlantic voyage upon her launch - is now providing inspiration for a new generation of novice boatbuilders developing their skills through what's become a community employment scheme.

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.